Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-02
AUNT POLLY PIDGE.
Was Marian Gray Bound to Her
in Any Way?

Where shall we cut the tie of kim
dred? To what extent can relation
ship be diluted, before it ceases to be
relationship? 1 have an aunt ESQ
called), who comes upon us in semi
annual visitations. which are as I'M
failing and unwelcome as the spring
and autumn house-cleanings. Years
ago. my beloved Aunt Mary became
the wife of Nathan Pidge. That she
was a woman of unusual independence
and strength of m ind, she proved by
cheerfully adopting such an undignified
name.
After a welded life of forty years,
Aunt Mary died, leaving Uncle Nathan
alone, in his second childhood. Per-
haps he found it insupportab!e to re-
main the sole representative of the
line of Pidges; or, perhaps his house
keeper, Polly Judkins, may have
charmed him by her diligent dosing.
At all events. after year of mourning.
he married her, and shortly afterward
died.
Now the question arises, because my
Aunt Mary was the first wife of
Nathan Pidge. does it follow that
Polly Pidge. his second wife, is at all
akin to us? She, evidently, has no
dOubs of it, but claims our hospitality
without limit.
We were cozilv seated by the sitting
room fire one October evening. with
the comfortable drawn up in front of a
nicely-swept hearth, when the village
stage Cooking, with its huge. covered
top. like Quaker bonnet OF wLeels)
stopped at the gate.
There was a little pleasurable excite
ment at first, of wondering what visit
Ors had arrived; but the next moment
enthusiasm was changed into vexation,
for there was no installing the uncouth
figure and peculiar garments of Aunt
Polly Pidge. My mother being gone,
/ welcomed the guest with as good a
grace as possible, and led her into the
room which had seemed a moment be-
fore, so cheerful and bright, feeling
that now its cheerfulness was all gone
''There, dear, put the bundles right
down by the fire, SOS to take the chill
off shall want some things out of
them; and you may leave the soapstone
on the fire-frame, it will get warm by
bedtime.
So saying. Aunt Polly seated herself
in rocking-chair, and relieved her
carpet-sack of its contents. 1t was a
peripatetic apothecary shop. was that
sachel. Out of it came bottles of lini-
ment, camphor, ammonia and sundries,
whose names despair of remembering.
''You can put the walls on the man.
tel, to have them handy" said Aunt
Pidge. ''for it appears to me I've got a
spell of the sciatiky coming on"
My father. as he entered, looked
amused. He little dreamed of the
suppressed vexation / felt went out
to prepare for this troublesome guest,
with as serene a face as l could COM
mand. But on returning few min
utes later. to say that tea was waiting,
Aunt Pidge declared "she didn't want
me to take extra steps for her, 1 might
bring it on waiter-she WASH. at all
particular" adding, as seemed about
to urge her supping in a civilized
way, that, "besides. she was afraid
of the draught in the great dining
room"
She prevailed, and the sittinc-room
was converted into an eating-saloon
withal, when the door-bell rang. Most
fervently hoping the conner might
prove to be the butchers boy. l an
swered the summons, and ushered in
Mr.. Allis
This Mr.. Allis was our high-school
teacher. and quite the lion of the vii.
lage. had met him several times at
evening parties, and this was his frs,
call. He must have thought me strange
ly agitated. but felt much more like
beating haSty retreat than present
Ing him to my worthy relative, who
sat, teacup in hand. awaiting the intro
duction.
''Mr. Allis. Mrs. Pidge." said 1, pur-
posely emitting the aunt.
''Who, dear?' asked Aunt Pidoe.
staring fixedl.s at the gentleman, as
though. her ears failing her, she ex.
Pected her eyes to supply their place.
1--WE got a terrible buzzing in nv
ears; I'm afraid the tinny-pum is at.
fected"